Another excellently written book in this series. This time with more actual historical characters than fictional ones (only three fictional characters).

I have to admit, I don't know too much about the American civil war beyond what I read about it in Gone With The Wind. And what a difference it is between the two books! Not just the north/south issue, but the personal/political aspect. For example - I had no idea the north took such a long time to start being successful!!

One more note I have to make - Vidal wrote this in the 80s so most historical sources portrayed Mary Todd Lincoln as The Hellcat. Newer research had a more humane attitude towards her, and I highly recommend listening to or reading the transcripts of the two History Chicks podcast episodes about her to get some sense of perspective. Also, just listen to this podcast - it's awesome!

I think the reason people, esp. Americans, read the book is to learn about the history--which keeps Vidal on a shorter leash, as it were, with there being morally less scope for the author's invention (or puckishness or suavity) than with other less, august episodes of the American narrative. Through the President's younger secretary, John Hay (in his early to mid-twenties through Lincoln's Presidency, and an unavoidable and cautious frequenter of brothels), Vidal finds Lincoln, a kind, vague man in manner, but very sure of himself, America's foremost President. Lincoln's paramount aim, in keeping the Republican Party together despite its zealous abolitionist wing, is to preserve the Union; to Vidal's understanding, he realises that he will need to fight the greatest and bloodiest war so far on earth to do so. It is Mary Todd, Lincoln's high-society Illinois wife, who has Kentuckian brothers on the other side, who deplores slavery, and heartily wills its demise, while for Lincoln it is merely a bad thing. His inaugural address, in fact, cites legal principle in suggesting it is part of the Constitution for northern states to return the slave property of the states agitating to break away as a Confederacy.

The workmanship, as ever, is excellent, so much so that the scene-changes and segues become a theme in themselves, drawing attention and becoming the subject for Vidal's own play and mockery. There are sections seen from the point of view of Confederate lowlifes in Washington, always essentially a Southern and slaveholding-supporting city--Dave Herold, an associate of the beautiful-looking actor wilkes Booth, who, possibly in a tissue of Vidal's own intrigue, works in the Lincoln and Seward families' chemists, and just fails, mostly through lack of fortitude, to poison the premier. Tonally there is no dissent from, no sneering at, any position in the Civil War that was America's re-founding or regenerative cataclysm. The figure found most ridiculously is the high-minded and sanctimonious Salmon Chase, a competent Secretary of the Treasury in, against his own instincts, raising a head tax and issuing money on behalf of the American 'Fed' (Republicans previously imagined it a part of the separation of powers that there were a variety of issuers of tender). Chase covets autographs, receiving Gladstone's from Lincoln and seizing on Greenleaf Whittier's at the moment that his son-in-law narrowly escapes being arraigned for treason in importing cotton for his mills from Texas. He does not even employ, let alone recognise the genius of, Walt Whitman.

The cast is large, and the expository detail, keyed through the narrator's voice, just something the reader has to live with in accepting the historical amplitude and fidelity of the record. All of it is here--the two Bull Runs; the generals' preening or maybe even pacifist, in the case of McClellan's, hesitancy; Sherman and Grant's victories in the West; the Wikoff affair; Tad' s idiocy or speech defect; Mary's compulsive and pathological spending, and her sinking into moral compromises in the Wikoff and other affairs; Seward's plan to stave off the war by making America American by ousting the French puppet in Mexico. The three-part structure tells the story. The characterisation of Lincoln, perhaps, aims more at accuracy than insight.

This is historical fiction about Abraham Lincoln’s years in the White House. It is well written and an engaging read. While sticking to known facts at the time (early 1980’s), the author weaves in various suppositions about Lincoln and the people surrounding him during those years.

I read my brother's copy of this book while visiting him, his wife and his daughter up at their home in Sawyer, Michigan during the Christmas holidays, reading it as a bedtime book. Vidal's Lincoln, like his Burr and some of his other novels is reminiscent of Bob Woodward's instant histories. Both appear to produce well-researched reconstructions of history. Both appear to invent plausible conversations.

Lincoln is certainly a *great* work, but only - unless you are already intensely enamored of the period - a *good* book.

Don't get me wrong: The realization of Lincoln, the cast of characters surrounding him, and their time is nothing short of awe-inspiring. Vidal was clearly deeply immersed in the source material. It shows in every glimpse of the culture and in every snippet of dialogue written.

And Lincoln himself is rendered as a character for the ages. He is doubted; he triumphs. He is triumphant; but beset with strife and grief. He is grief-riven and depressed; yet still gregarious and charming. I found Lincoln the President deplorable, but Lincoln the Man utterly compelling and sympathetic. That is to Vidal's tremendous credit.

One other character I would make mention of is Kate Chase, the most stand-out female character in the novel. I found Vidal's rendering of this brilliant, charismatic, leading lady of her day - who ultimately is doomed to deep unhappiness by her own unquenchable ambition (and not for herself but for the father to whom she is so deeply and strangely devoted) - extremely poignant and memorable.

High praise so far; why not give it the five stars it so clearly deserves? Two reasons:

(1) At well over 600 pages, the book is inarguably dense. It takes a special kind of book to sustain momentum for that many pages... and I'm afraid Lincoln simply wasn't exhilarating enough to sustain my interest. In other words, I had to push myself - kicking and screaming - to the finish line. And when I got there, I was glad to have finished; not sad I had to leave the book -- always a bad sign.

(2) Your mileage may vary, but I simply don't find the period in question an inspiring, captivating one. The romance and exotic quality of ancient or medieval history is lacking. Even the great ideas and characters of, for instance, the Revolutionary War & Founding period are missing. Things seem grimier, sootier, "lower". Perhaps it's that this is close enough to "our" modernity that it feels familiar - and hence a bit dull - yet without even some of the appeal that comes from the technology that was to come some decades later. Perhaps it's just me, but if setting is a huge part of the appeal of reading a historical fiction novel - just be aware this may not strike you as the sexiest of settings.

All in all I'm deeply glad I read Lincoln. It is, again, a superlative work of historical fiction; of that there is no doubt. I would just caution you to steer clear unless you are truly ready for a deep, complex, long work set in a period that lacks the magic and mystique of many others.

Some have deplored Lincoln's indifference to Christianity. But it was not religion, it was religiosity that put him off.

Gore Vidal

This was one of those classics that I haven't read until now for some reason. I thought it was good but not great. I can't imagine someone that didn't know the history well would enjoy it as it would be tough to follow all the different people. I did enjoy it - it was true to the history (with a few added people for the sake of the story) and at least in my opinion it gave a true rendering of Lincoln the person. Recommended for history fans.

I read this some time ago when I was on a Lincoln reading binge. I recall it as interesting in bringing to life the motives and uncertainties of the main players. It was of course, well written though more journalistic than novelistic; I could imagine Vidal and Buckley having an amiable and animated conversation over various scenes. Vidal was not high on my list but this book raised him up a few notches.

I'm surprised by how much I didn't enjoy this book. Here's the thing: anytime the narrative focus is on Lincoln, the book is firecrackers. I'm keeping the book just so I can reread some of Lincoln's quips, stories, and stratagems. He's a fascinating character no matter the quality of the writing.

But for a book titled "Lincoln," there are long stretches where he's not in focus. Vidal has a number of POV characters. Aside from Seward (who ends up in scenes with Lincoln anyway), these other POV characters are boring at best (Salmon and Kate Chase) and grating at worst (Mary Todd Lincoln). I can't say whether the real life figures would be this boring or grating, but Vidal makes them so. I'm sure Vidal's intent was to reflect on Lincoln's character by demonstrating how those around him acted or were changed by Lincoln. He does this masterfully with Seward. But I'm not sure he needed to get so deep into details about a stolen speech, money problems, or bad marriages. Those characters' actions could have still been shown without making them POV characters. I think the narrative comes to a screeching halt when those characters, and not Lincoln, are the focus. Those stretches made completing the book a chore.

When a book becomes a chore to finish, I cannot give it higher than two stars.

So compelling that even this Virginian has to admit that Lincoln was the best Prez ever. Rich, believable characterization (of the whole big cast) and lots of period detail. All "war presidents" should read.

I definitely saw a new side to the Civil War after reading this book. Being Southern, I assumed everyone up North hated slavery. No one more than Lincoln, or so I had always thought... How strange it now feels to realize that the slavery issue was not the real reason the Civil War occurred. Lincoln's sole purpose was to ensure the States remained together as one Union.

I now have a lot to think about which makes this one of my better reads. I like a book that leaves me with things to think about after reading it.

I felt so sorry for Mr. Lincoln. His personal life was pretty horrendous by itself without the burden of the war. His wife, Mary Todd Lincoln, apparently suffered from bouts of insanity in an age when no one knew what to do about it. His children ( all but 1) died before adulthood. He felt the pain of the war terribly mourning the number of dead on both sides. He was often worked against by even those he thought his friends! Mr. Vidal let the reader experience all this vicarously.

I would recommend this book to those who are history buffs definitely.

I doubt I'm going to get back to this. It's too long and, frankly, the writing is average at best. And historical
fiction, I suppose, is not my favorite genre - though I've read very, very little of it.